Copp prepared for challenge of new role

Charlie Copp has never averaged more than two points per game. He scored a career-high 11 points in his freshman debut against North Carolina State and since then has never scored over seven points.

He is now a senior co-captain and Penn's starting point guard.

And while his dwindling scoring average -- 1.7 points in his freshman and sophomore seasons, then 1.0 junior year -- might seem worrisome, Copp is not at all concerned with his personal statistics.

That's one of the many lessons Copp -- known to his teammates as "Chuck," and to most fans as the guy who wore two headbands last season -- has learned over his three years at Penn.

"When you come in as a freshman, you're absorbed in what you're doing," Copp said. "I try to get the [younger guys] to see that success isn't about this play or that play, and not let them focus on all of their shots.

"I try to get them to see the bigger picture."

Copp came to Penn looking to shoot. He averaged 26.1 points in his senior year at Pennsylvania's Tulpehocken High School, en route to becoming the first-ever player from his school to lead the Berks Conference in scoring.

That may be why Copp's most shot attempts in a season (46) came during his freshman year.

"Now I understand what basketball is really about," he said.

Until this season, Copp played behind 2002 point guards Andrew Toole and David Klatsky -- both of whom graduated in 2002 -- and averaged only 8.4 minutes last season.

"He's got great opportunities now this year," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "We're all hoping that Charlie has his best year here at Penn."

Copp joins senior co-captain Adam Chubb and junior Jan Fikiel as first-time staples in the starting lineup.

After losing Ugonna Onyekwe, Koko Archibong, Toole and Klatsky to graduation, Copp and Penn's other returning players are challenged to play more minutes and take on larger roles than in previous years.

"We're molding together pretty good," Copp said. "There's a good nucleus with seniors and juniors that were maybe not the main parts of the team last year but were parts of it.

"So we can take the next step up to where those guys were who graduated."

Copp's transition to starting point guard and increased minutes may be alleviated by having senior Jeff Schiffner and junior Tim Begley on the wings.

"It makes your life pretty easy," Copp said. "You know that if you drive to the middle, draw a defender in and kick the ball to the wing, there's a very, very good chance it's going in."

Copp has high aspirations for Penn, but realizes that the team must find continuity quickly with difficult games early on.

"We realize that we have a tough non-conference schedule," he said. "We'll get our feet wet real quick and we'll be able to find our identity pretty quick because we'll be forced to."

In the Quakers' first game against Wisconsin tonight, Copp will face Badgers junior point guard Devin Harris. Last season, Harris averaged 12.7 ppg, good for second on the team.

Copp is up for the challenge.

"I'm looking forward to playing against some of the top point guards in the country," he said. "I'm going to go out there and try to do my best."

It's a clich‚d phrase, but Copp's idea of hard work and "doing his best" is far from superficial. Before practice, Copp can always be seen, usually alone, on the Palestra floor fine-tuning his shot.

"He's as hard a working guy as anyone we've ever had at Penn," Dunphy said.

Indeed, what makes Copp such a good player is what also makes him a good leader -- his hard work.

"One of the greatest assets about Chuck... is that he puts his teammates first," Penn junior Patrick Lang said. "Everyone gets that about Chuck -- he's just a great guy and he's a hard worker, too, so he leads by example.

"He's out there running sprints when he doesn't have to, he's out there doing pushups when he doesn't have to," Lang added. "Particularly the younger guys get to see that about Chuck."

Even Copp admits that what makes him a strong leader for Penn isn't his scoring ability or his shooting touch -- although Dunphy believes shooting and speed are two of the strongest parts of Copp's game.

"I don't have the greatest skill in the world, but I always try to play as hard as I can, and that's my main attribute," he said.

That's why Copp takes such great pride in his defense.

"I'm a good defender and that's probably my best attribute," he said. "Defense is all about hustle and trying to play your hardest."

Sometimes Copp's fearlessness and determination lead him astray.

In a preseason practice, the 5'11" Copp -- the only sub-6'0" player on Penn's 16-man roster -- grabbed an offensive rebound and challenged two big men in the key. He pump-faked and got blocked. Dunphy blew his whistle. "Charlie, pass that out! You have two guys on you and Chubb's open!"

Copp nodded. He understood what he may not have fully comprehended even last season.

"There's a lot more responsibility that comes with starting," Copp said. "It's a different role because I have to go out there and keep in mind the team as a whole, [whereas] when I was coming off the bench it was more just me looking to play my role on the team."

After shooting around for several minutes -- during which Copp shot almost entirely from inside the key because "it's all about developing the perfect form" -- Chubb called the team together to begin stretching out. Together, co-captains Chubb, Schiffner and Copp sat at halfcourt. Schiffner and Chubb called out each stretch.

Copp -- who hopes to one day be a high school basketball coach -- sat silently, leading in his own way.

"It's kind of like a three-part approach," Copp said. "Me, Chubb and Schiff are all going at it together.

"Schiff and Chubb are a little more talkative. I just try to encourage the guys."

"He leads by example," Lang said of Copp. "He's very genuine and I think that's what everybody likes about him."

Everybody also likes the headbands he sported last season. But he won't be wearing them this season.

"I caught an elbow last season and had 10 stitches," Copp said. "I had padding underneath the headbands.

"We do things team-oriented -- if the whole team doesn't do it, then no one does it."

Copp clearly sees the bigger picture.

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